WSP07790 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Goon5 SAN JUAN PRIMITIVE AREA SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST UPPER RIO GRANDE PRIMITIVE AREA RIO GRANDE NATIONAL FOREST The San Juan and Upper Rio Grande Primitive Areas together form the largest unit of National Forest land in Colorado administered for wilderness purposes. Extending from Sheep Mountain near Wolf Creek Pass on the Continental Divide westward some 40 air miles to the Animas River, the contiguous Primitive Areas join on the crest of the spectacular San Juan Mountains. Within the 227,399 acre San Juan Primitive Area are 743 acres of private land, but the 58,014 acre Upper Rio Grande Primitive Area contains no private inholdings. The Upper Rio Grande was the first of the two Primitive Areas to be established under Regulation L-20. Recommended by Rio Grande National Forest Supervisor R. E. Clark on November 22, 1930, the report was revised on January 25, 1932, and approved on February 15. 1932, by Allen S. Peck, Regional Forester. Chief of the Forest Service R. Y. Stuart subsequently approved the report and management plan on March 5, 1932. The size was calculated at that time to be 56,600 acres based on "Jay Higgens' survey of 1929." All of the Primitive Area was within the Rio Grande drainage, with the southern boundary formed by the Continental Divide or crest of the San Juan Mountains. The San Juan National Forest proposed the San Juan Primitive Area for the southern slopes of the San Juan Mountains early in 1927. The staff committee established in the Regional Office to review such proposals indicated approval, ".. .but at the same time felt it might well be extended to cover a good deal more territory," according to E. W. Tinker, then Assistant District (Regional) Forester. On December 13, 1929, Forest Supervisor Andrew Hutton submitted another proposal, revised it on March 18, 1932, and it was approved by Allen S. Peck, Regional Forester, on March 28, 1932. This report and management plan were subsequently approved by Forest Service Chief R. Y. Stuart on October 1. 1932, establishing a 240,000 acre Primitive Area with 1,920 acres of private land included. Describing the San Juan proposal. Supervisor Hutton said, "There are numerous reasons why this particular area should be designated and administered as a 'primitive area.'. Primarily, the area is a wilderness, untouched by man except for the construction of the barest necessities in the way of protective and administration improvements. Its Forests are virgin and unmarred except by fire. For natural beauty of the grand and rugged mountain type, it cannot be excelled. The area can be reached and traversed only by trail and pack outfit." Hutton's words are remarkably similar to language incorporated in the Wilderness Act over thirty years later, and his grasp of the need for active management and proper coordination with other needs and activities of society were demonstrated by his statement, "It has all the essentials of a wilderness. . .and should retain under proper administration all these requisites. . .that modern civilization. . .will permit." Writing abDut the upper Rio Grande Primitive Area on the other side of the San Juan Mountains, Forest Supervisor R. E. Clark said his area, ".. .presents all the environmental features which would make its classification. . .possible and desirable. . .virgin and as near original primitive conditions as may be found any place within Colorado," and ". . .there is every reason to believe that a similar form of environment may be maintained without detrimental reaction upon the economic conditions of this locality."